Thursday, February 08, 2007

Artichoke and Broccoli Frittata

Friends sometimes laugh at my version of scrambled eggs, because I put more "stuff" in them than eggs. I like eggs, but I enjoy them less for their own virtue and more as way to hold everything together or give a fluffy texture to a breakfast dish. My scrambles are mostly vegetables and herbs and cheese, with egg serving only to bind them together and add protein. A frittata works on this principle - It is a perfect palette for colorful vegetables and strongly flavored cheeses. What I love about frittatas is that they are one of the few egg dishes that are delicious at room temperature and can be stored in the refrigerator (or even frozen) for days. Basically a crustless quiche, a frittata is not just for breakfast - Frittatas make a wonderful lunch or dinner, accompanied by a salad or steamed vegetables or potatoes. This one has been my breakfast, lunch and dinner for the past few days - Eaten at room temperature at work and heated up in my toaster oven at home. I love the way the fresh dill combines with the light flavor of artichoke. I will post some more vegan recipes soon, I promise!

Preheat oven to 350 F. Chop the artichoke hearts coarsely. Heat olive oil in a 10-inch cast iron pan over medium flame. Add onions and cook until they are translucent. Add garlic and broccoli, sautee until the onions have begun to brown and the broccoli is cooked through but still crisp. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, herbs and spices and milk. Whisk until well beaten. Add parmesan, breadcrumbs, artichokes, and half of the cheddar cheese. Stir gently. Pour mixture over the broccoli and onions. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheddar cheese over the top of the eggs - Do not stir.

Bake for 30 minutes or until firm. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot or at room temperature. Leftovers can be successfully reheated in oven, microwave or toaster oven. Serves 10.

10 comments:

Ummm... YUM! What is really funny about this is last night I made a marcoude des legumes (North African Shepardic dish- an omelette like potato cake thing), and I NEVER make eggs as a main dish. Like you, I like what they can do (hold things together, add texture etc) more than like them in and of themselves. Anyway, good stuff and love the picture. I used my regular fry pan last night and regretted it after I put it under the broiler- doh, what was I thinking! (It is oven proof but the handle was NOT improved by the proximity to the heat, oops). From now on it's cast iron all the way!

Mmmmm... I LOVE frittatas! They are so easy considering how impressive they look when they come out of the oven all puffy. (I cook mine on the stove first, then under the broiler) Much cooler than an omelette!

YUM! I never thought to put artichokes in and I just used the last of my eggs on a sad cheese omelet. I do need to invest in a cast iron skillet but I'm waiting until I have a better kitchen to use it in.

Just coming back to let you know that I'm featuring this as part of my South Beach Recipes of the Week today, where I'm sharing dishes with eggs. I have included your photo, with a credit for you of course, and a link to the recipe.

I just made this frittata for a party at work... It's still in the oven so i can't tell you how wonderful it tastes just yet, but i will say that it smells and looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for helping me make a yummy meal that is South Beach friendly and meat free.